Remembering Silent Servant and the Soft Moon
Remembering Silent Servant’s John Juan Mendez and the Soft Moon’s Luis Vasquez.
On January 19, 2024, industrial techno artist Silent Servant (John Juan Mendez), post-punk musician the Soft Moon (Luis Vasquez), and Mendez’s partner Simone Ling passed away. While no cause of death has been released, all three are believed to have died in the same incident.
Los Angeles-based Mendez came to prominence as part of the techno collective Sandwell District, alongside the artists Regis, Female, and Function. Following Sandwell District’s disbandment in 2012, Mendez continued making industrial-tinged techno under the Silent Servant moniker, releasing two full-lengths, 2013’s Negative Fascination and 2018’s Shadows of Death, along with several singles, remixes, and EPs on labels including Hospital Productions, L.I.E.S. Records, and his own Jealous God. His latest release was last year’s In Memoriam 12” on Tresor. Mendez was also a prolific DJ and hosted a weekly NTS Radio show.
Vasquez began recording as the Soft Moon in Oakland, California in 2009, and released several albums of goth-inflected post-punk on labels Sacred Bones Records and Captured Tracks, as well as a self-released experimental album under his own name. His death was confirmed on the Soft Moon’s Instagram, with a note reading “”It is with great sadness that we announce our dear friend, Luis Vasquez, has passed away. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family, friends and extended music family. If you have a memory of Luis, no matter if you were a close friend of his or not, please feel free to share. This is a huge loss and our hearts are broken.”
Several artists and collaborators have taken to social media to share their remembrances.
Drew Daniel of Matmos and the Soft Pink Truth said Mendez was, “a truly original and gifted producer of electronic music.”
Daniel Avery wrote of Mendez, “I once asked Silent Servant what a record was as he was playing a reliably beautiful set. The next time I saw Juan he had bought me my own copy of the vinyl. An amazing artist and incredibly gentle guy. RIP to a true one.”
Sacred Bones said of Vasquez: “We lost one of our own today. It was an honor to be on this journey with Luis Vasquez. He was one of a kind, with a heart of gold, someone who would put a big smile on your face every time you saw him. He was able to manifest his life experiences into beautiful and uncompromising music unlike anyone else.[…] He was taken too soon, our hearts go out to his friends and family. We will miss him every day.”
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